Handle



Nov. 19, 1940- E. WORTHINGTON HANDLE Filed Nov. 8, 1938 m. 1% m w.

. ATTORNEYfi Patented Nov. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES HANDLE Everett Worthington, deceased, late'ofscarsdale,

N. Y., by Lucile-Worthington, 'administr'atrix, Oakland, Calif assignor to American Can "v Company,1NewLYork, N. Y... acorporation of New. Jersey Application November 8, 1938; Serial No. 239,586

3 Claims (01. 16-115) The present invention relates to .a handle for a lunch kit or the. like and has particular reference to a handle having a collapsing or telescoping feature.

An object of the invention is the provision of a handle for a lunch kit or thelike wherein the posts which hold the handle in place on the kit are of a multiple part telescoping structure adapted to collapse when the handle is not in use so that it will closely hug the top of the kit and be out of the way.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of .a lunch kit embodying the instant invention, the handle being shown in collapsed position as'when not in use;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating the upper portion of the lunch kit and showing the handle in raised position as when in use;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective viewof one of the handle posts, with parts broken away; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along a plane indicated by the lines 44 in Fig. 1.

As a preferred embodiment of the instant invention the drawing illustrates a lunch kit ll (Fig. 1) having a handle which includes a sheet metal tubular hand grip l2 secured to a sideof the kit by sheet metal telescoping posts l3. The hand grip may be of any suitable tubular design which conveniently fits the hand of a user, such as for example the design illustrated in the drawing.

The ends of the hand grip are preferably formed into rectangular outer members l6 (Figs. 3 and 4) each having a depending flange I! along two sides and at the outer endthereof. Each outer member houses a U-shaped inner member l8 having upright side legs l9 which are disposed within the outer member and which are secured preferably by soldering or welding, to its side flanges l1.

These members 16 and I8 provide a foundation for a plurality of intermeshing or telescoping rectangular and hollow post elements 2|, 22, 23

which depend from the inner U-shaped member 18 when the handle is in its raised position. Three such telescoping post elements are shown in the drawing as one'embodiment but obviously the number may be varied to obtain greater or less telescoping movement of the hand grip.

Telescoping. p'ost element 2| is provided with a flat top wall section25 and surrounding vertical end and side wall sections 26, 21. The lower edge of the end wall sections26 merge into laterally projecting shelf sections or flanges 28. The top wall section is secured preferably by soldering" or welding to the bottom of the U-shaped member l8. This post element slides in the second telescoping element 22.

Telescoping post element 22 is larger than post element 2! and is provided with an outer top wall section or portion 3| which is surrounded by vertically depending side and end wall sections 32, '33. The side wall sections 32 merge at their lower edges into laterally or right angle shelf "extensions or flanges 3. The top wall section is provided witha rectangular opening or aperture 35. It is in this opening that element 2| is slidably disposed. The two elements 2|, 22 are capable of telescoping action one within the other but are held against separation by the shelf projections or flanges 28 of element 2! which serve as movement limiting stops engaging against the inside surface of the top wall section 3| of element 22 when the two elements are moved relative to each other.

In a similar manner the second post element 22 is disposed within and slides in the third post element 23. This third element 23 is formed with an outer flat top wall section or portion 38 which is surrounded by vertically depending side and end wall sections 39, 40. The side wall sections 39 are formed with depending lugs 45 which fit into suitable slots provided in the lunch kit and which are adapted to be bent in and under at right angles after insertion in the slots to hold the element and those slidably connected with it, to the kit.

The top wall section 38 of the element 23 is provided with a rectangular opening or aperture 42. It is this opening in which the element 22 fits and slides, the lateral shelf extensions or flanges of the element 22 serving as stops engaging against the inside surface of the top wall section 38 of element 23 to limit the outward movement between the elements.

This construction of telescoping elements fitted one within the other and held against separation by lateral shelf projections on the elements when the latter are extended, provides an efiicient and strong connection between the hand grip and the kit. When the hand grip is not in use its own weight readily collapses the telescoping post elements and thereby permits it to fall into a position close to the side of the kit where it is out of the way.

In like manner the telescoping post elements are readily extended to their outer limits when the hand grip is lifted for use thereby creating sumcient space between it and the top side of the kit so that it may be comfortably held by the hand of the user.

It is thought that the invention and many oi its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form,

construction and arrangement of the parts with out departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A handle for a lunch kit and the like, comprising a central hand gripping portion terminating at its opposite ends in a plurality of vertically disposed relatively movable telescoping post elements normally nested together when the handle is in non-carrying position, the uppermost of said post elements at each endof said handle being secured thereto and the lowermost of said post elements being adapted to be secured to the top wall of the lunch kit, each of said post-elements being of inverted cup shape and. all but the lowermost projecting through an apertured top wall of an adjacent post element, each of said movable post elements having oppositely disposed outwardly extending flanges thereon engageable with said apertured top wall of said adjacent post element to limit vertical telescoping movement when the handle is moved to carrying position.

2. A handle for a lunch kit and the like, comprising a central hand gripping portion terminating at its opposite ends in a plurality of relatively vertically movable rectangular telescoping post elements of inverted cup shape normally nested together when the handle is in non-carrying position, the uppermost of said post elements at each end of said handle being secured thereto and the lowermost of said post elements having means thereon adapted to be secured to the top wall of the lunch kit, all but the uppermost of said post elements having an apertured top wall for the reception therethrough of an adjacent post element and all but the lowermost of said post elements projecting through said apertured wall of an adjacent post element and. movable vertically relative thereto, each of said movable post elements having oppositely disposed outwardly extending flanges thereon engageable with said apertured top wall of said adjacent post element to limit vertical telescoping movement when the handle is moved to carrying position, said post elements being returnable by gravity to nested position when the handle is released from carrying position.

3. A handle for a lunch kit and the like comprising a central hand gripping portion terminating at its opposite ends in a plurality of relatively movable telescoping post elements normally nested together when the handle is in non-carrying position, an inner post element having an apertured outer wall portion and an outer post element being secured to each end of said handle and projecting through said aperture of and movable relative to said inner post element, said outer post element having an outwardly extending flange thereon engageable with said outer apertured wall portion of said inner post element to limit outward telescoping movement when the handle is moved to carrying position.

LUCILE WORTHINGTON, Administratrz'a: of the Estate of Everett Worthington, Deceased. 

